DIY for Chair Arms

Sue recently got new chairs for her family room.  Much to her surprise, they did not come with covers for the chair arms - the part most susceptible to wear.  So she decided to try a do-it-yourself project to make some. Some fabric store remnants of cotton duck and linen-like fabric seemed suitable for attempting to dye something that might work.  The last vestiges of elephant gray dye left in the jar would have to do.  If it didn't work, nothing lost; just come up with another plan.

Two half yard pieces were put in the dye bath.  One was white, the other a beige color.  The dye bath looks purple because that is one of the component colors of elephant gray.  After sitting in the dye for 24 hours, the rinse process started. 

Here it is soaking in the laundry tub.  You can see here it looks more gray than purple.  

Here are 4 shots of different areas of the washed & dried fabric.  Some areas are gray, some more blue, some purplish.  Not enough dye to come out solid, but homogeneous enough to give an overall impression of gray.  Sue decided it would well enough with the new gray chairs and set about crafting the arm covers.

She made rectangles long enough to cover about 5-6 inches of the front and most of the top.  After clean finishing the edges, she fit each one on the chairs, folding in triangles at the corners for a snug fit.  After stitching the triangles in place, they were ready.  Sue is satisfied with the result.  What do you think?